1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a composition for application to keratin fibers, preferably hair, more preferably the hair of the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes, and most preferably the eyelashes. The composition comprises a post-foaming gel composition containing a film forming agent and, optionally, a colorant, preferably a pigment. The present invention also provides a method for imparting a volumizing effect to hair of the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior to the present invention, personal care preparations for the volumizing of hair, in particular eye lashes, employed the use of mascara in a building fashion. That is several coats had to be applied to gain the desired volume or expansion effect. Depending on the type of mascara product and consumer preferences the amount of manipulation required could be quite extensive. This is evident in the large number of brush strokes needed to arrive at a clump-free yet volumized look. Currently, it has been observed that women use an average approximately 10 to 12 brush strokes to apply mascara to one pair of eyelashes. Depending upon the user, this number of brush strokes can be multiplied by 2 to 4 times depending on the desired level of volume. Women desire a mascara composition that can achieve the appearance of thicker eyelashes with a lower number of brush strokes, i.e., less manipulation, or even improved thickness with the same amount of brush strokes. Consumers, men and women alike, also desire products that will provide the appearance of thicker hair.
Post-foaming gels are known in the art, for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,581 discloses a cleansing or cosmetic composition in the form of a stable, post-foaming gel. The disclosed gel has a yield value sufficiently high to substantially restrain the composition from foaming for at least about 60 seconds under static ambient conditions. The '581 patentee states that an object of the invention is to provide a lather-producing composition that, in addition to possessing the desirable properties of prior art compositions, is characterized by being discharged as a stable gel that is substantially free from foaming. After it is spread over the skin and beard, the gel produces a post generating foam. The purpose of the invention is to provide a lather, in-situ, on the surface of the skin so as to facilitate shaving of facial hair. The invention is also disclosed to be useful in topical applications for cleansing. Moreover, coloring materials, such as dyes may be used if desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,489 discloses a process for continuously producing a post-foaming gel and for packaging same. The process comprises admixing separately metered amounts of an aqueous soap ingredient and a post-foaming agent to form an intimate mixture thereof. The mixture is passed to a filling machine for packaging the gel. The steps are affected in a continuous flow system under pressure. The mixture is maintained within the continuous flow system for a time and at a pressure and temperature sufficient to produce a post-foaming gel that is capable of continuously flowing through the system to the filling machine for packaging thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,503 is also directed to a method for forming and packaging a delayed foaming gel. The disclosed invention forms an emulsion in the filling head and then forms the delayed foaming gel in the container after it is filled therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,111 discloses a stable shaving cream gel that is asserted to possess superior foaming and after-feel characteristics. Various compatible additives which do not adversely affect the gel structure may be added in minor amounts. Included among the materials exemplified as suitable for such purpose are coloring materials. A combination of the dyes D & C Yellow #10 and F D & C Blue #1 is employed in Examples 6 through 10. They are however used in very low concentration. For example 1.2% of a 1% trituration of D& C Yellow #10 dye and 0.45% of 1% trituration F D & C Blue #1 dye are employed in Example 7.
Though the post-foaming compositions of the prior have been used for shaving facial hair and though such compositions may contain minor amounts of a dye to impart to the composition a coloration more pleasing to the consumer, such compositions have heretofore found no further use. The present inventor has discovered that the delayed post-foaming compositions of the prior art can be surprisingly and advantageously modified and employed to improve the aesthetic appearance of keratin fibers, especially hair of the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes.